Panayiotis Kouroublis

In an indication of the intensified opposition in northern Greece to the country's recent name deal with the Former Yugoslav Republic of the Macedonia (FYROM), protesters on Friday heckled Shipping Minister Panayiotis Kouroublis in Serres.

Holidaymakers in the gulfs of Corinth and Patra may have to restrict their bathing to special areas surrounded by nets put in place to keep out jellyfish swarms that appeared in the area last summer and show no sign of leaving.

A seaman smokes a cigarette at the top of a ferry ramp in the port of Piraeus during a strike on Thursday. The seamen's PNO union extended its 24-hour action for another day, which means there will be no service between the Greek mainland and the islands until Friday.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Tuesday flew to the southeastern Aegean to inaugurate two desalination plants on Kastellorizo in a public appearance that some analysts say is meant to coincide with the upcoming eight-year anniversary on April 23 of former premier George Papandreou's announcement from the same island of Greece's bailout by international creditors.

Shipping Minister Panayiotis Kouroublis is representing the Greek government at the White House reception being hosted by US President Donald Trump and the First Lady to celebrate Greek Independence Day on Thursday.

As expected, Parliament rejected late on Thursday a proposal by conservative New Democracy for a parliamentary inquiry into whether former health ministers Panayiotis Kouroublis and Andreas Xanthos, as well as Alternate Health Minister Pavlos Polakis, are guilty of breaches.

The owner of a ferry company has been on hunger strike this week, waiting outside Shipping Minister Panayiotis Kouroublis's office for a license to serve a route linking the Attica port of Rafina with Crete.

The main conservative opposition party New Democracy on Wednesday submitted to Parliament its proposal for the formation of an investigative committee to probe whether former health ministers Panayiotis Kouroublis and Andreas Xanthos, as well as Alternate Health Minister Pavlos Polakis, are guilty of breaches of faith. 

The government is expected to come under fresh opposition fire over its position toward claims that 10 prominent politicians were bribed by Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis following the revelation on Monday of allegations that ruling SYRIZA's former health minister was involved in price fixing.

The Hellenic Army will assist in the removal of tons of detonators and explosives that were seized from a Libya-bound cargo vessel last week and are currently being stored in the Cretan port of Iraklio, Shipping Minister Panayiotis Kouroublis said on Friday.